'So it's a bit frustrating that we didn't get one or two in thenet. With that many shots at goal, we should be scoring. We made thethe keeper work and we've hit the woodwork a couple of times, buthaving said that Derby did as well.

'My immediate reaction was that they could have had a penalty. I've not seen it again, but that was my first reaction.

'We put them under pressure after that though and could have won the game.'

If either side looked likely to nick a winner, it was the hosts, butit was the visitors who arguably could have been awarded a penaltyafter just 10 minutes, as a weak backpass from Neill Collins sold AndyLonergan short.

Campbell was alert to the danger and tapped the ball wide of theoncoming keeper only to seemingly be brought down but the refereeawarded a goal-kick rather than a penalty.

Preston then took control as Chris Sedgwick and Parkin both went close before Wallace hit the bar on the half-hour mark.

That was the last of the first-half action, but it was Preston wholooked most dangerous after the break as Mellor drew a low save fromStephen Bywater early on.

The Rams responded by hitting the bar themselves through the livelyCampbell, before Stephen Pearson wastefully volleyed the rebound wide.

Tough tackle: Lee Hendrie is challenged by Preston's Chris Sedgwick

With seven minutes to go, Davidson then hit the woodwork as he wasplayed in behind the Derby defence, but could not find a way pastBywater's near side.

Campbell then went close again for the Rams - who still have notmanaged an away win all season - as his pace was too much for the tiredPreston backline, but he could not find a goal to match his efforts.

Clough was left to bemoan the denial of the early penalty shout.

'We think it was a penalty,' he said. 'It feels like it's about our14th that we've had turned down. Having said that, we were very good inthe first half, but they came back strong in the second.

'The second half was end to end and neither side really deserved tolose. It was a good match, but it was just that one elusive goal thatdidn't come our way.

'But we can take a lot of heart and confidence from our three games unbeaten.'